What Should Seniors Know About Advance Care Planning Documents?
Advance care planning documents ensure your healthcare wishes are known and followed if you cannot speak for yourself. Understanding these important documents helps seniors prepare for potential future incapacity.
Why Advance Care Planning Matters
Medical situations may arise where you cannot communicate your treatment preferences. Strokes, dementia, accidents, or sudden illness can impair decision-making ability. Without documentation of your wishes, others must guess what you would want.
Advance planning reduces burden on family members. Making difficult decisions for loved ones without guidance causes lasting distress. Knowing your wishes helps families make decisions with confidence rather than guilt.
Your values and preferences are unique. What you consider acceptable quality of life, what treatments you would want or refuse, and how you weigh various outcomes reflect your personal values. Only you can articulate these preferences.
Types of Documents
A healthcare power of attorney, also called healthcare proxy or healthcare agent designation, names someone to make medical decisions for you if you cannot. This person should understand your values and be willing to advocate for your wishes even under pressure.
A living will states your preferences for specific treatments in certain situations, typically addressing life-sustaining treatment when you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It provides direct guidance about your wishes.
An advance directive may combine healthcare power of attorney and living will into one document. The specific document varies by state. Some states have specific forms while others accept any clearly written expression of wishes.
A POLST, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, translates your wishes into actual medical orders. Unlike advance directives which express wishes, POLST forms are orders that medical personnel follow. They are appropriate for those with serious illness or advanced age.
Creating Your Documents
Discuss your wishes with your healthcare agent before completing documents. Ensure they understand and will honor your preferences. Being willing to serve as agent is not enough. They must understand your values.
Consider various scenarios. What matters most to you about quality of life? What conditions would be unacceptable? What treatments would you want or refuse? Thinking through possibilities prepares you to express clear preferences.
Use your state’s recommended forms when available. While documents from other states are generally honored, using local forms reduces confusion. Many states provide free forms online.
Have documents properly witnessed and notarized as required by your state. Improper execution can invalidate documents when they are most needed.
Making Documents Effective
Share documents with your healthcare agent, family members, and healthcare providers. Documents locked in safes do not help in emergencies. Provide copies to your primary care provider and any hospitals where you might receive care.
Review and update documents periodically. Preferences may change over time. Major health changes or life events warrant review. Ensure documents reflect your current wishes.
Getting Advance Planning Support
All Seniors Foundation can help seniors with advance care planning. These important documents deserve careful attention. Contact us for resources and guidance on completing advance directives.
